Leather-folding machine



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

G. POLLOGK.

LEATHER FOLDING MAGHINE. No. 557,341. Patented Mar. 31,1896.

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G. POLLOGK.

LEATHER FOLDING MACHINE. No. 557,341. Patented Mar. 31, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE POLLOCK, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

LEATHER-FOLDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 557,341, dated March31, 1896. Application filed January 9, 1896. Serial No. 574,872. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE POLLOOK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Leather-Folding Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for folding leather more particularly,although, as will be apparent from the following description, theinvention is adapted to folding other materials.

The primary object of the invention is to construct a machine, for theuse of shoemanufacturers for folding the edges of shoe Vamps, quarters,and other components of a shoe or other foot-gear so that the edges ofsuch parts or blanks may be folded with great nicety and precision andleaving sharp and accurate angles or corners to enhance theattractiveness of the completed article.

Another object is to construct a simple machine wherein the foldingappliance or device is in plain view of the operator and wherein thefeed of the article or piece being folded is accomplished by the drawingaction of opposing pressure-rolls in contradistinction to machines ofthis type which employ devices which act upon the folded edges byreciprocating hammers, which injuriously mar the folded edges andthereby detract from the artistic finish of the completed article.

The invention consists of the parts and the constructions andcombinations of parts which I shall hereinafter fully describe, and

point out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of myinvention, and in which similar letters and figures of referenceindicate corresponding parts in the several views, Figure 1 represents aside elevation of a leather-folding machine embodying my invention. Fig.2 is a View of one end of the machine. Fig. 3 is a detail in perspectiveof the folding device or former. Fig. 4is a view of a blank termed asquare-set vamp. Fig. 5 is a blank of an Oxford-tie quarter. Fig. 6

is a blank of an Oxford-tie with a patentleather facing and the quarterset under the patent-leather.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, A represents the frame of the machine,which maybe of any desired form, but is herein shown as having anessentially G form, and comprises a base-plate a, by which the machineis secured to a support I? by means of a suitable fastening medium, ascrew 0 being herein shown as answering this purpose. The frame A alsocomprises a head d and a standard or foot 6, and in the arm f of theframe is formed or placed suitable bearings g h for the horizontalparallel shafts B and C. One of these shafts, B, is provided with aband-wheel E, to which power from any desirable source is applied torotate the shaft and the feeding devices to be hereinafter described.The shaft B also carries a gear-wheel E, which meshes with a similargear G on the other shaft, 0, whereby this latter shaft is driven.

The shafts B and O extend across the open center of the frame and havetheir forward portions journaled in bearings g h in the head 01 and foot6, respectively, and on the shaft 0, outside of the head d, is fixed apinion H, which meshes with a pinion I, which in turn meshes with anddrives a pinion J on a bolt or stub-shaft J. This latter shaft J isfixed in the lower portion of a bar or plate L, which is adapted toslide vertically in guides formed in the face of the head d, as shown inFig. 2, the said plate or bar L being slotted, as at Z, to permit theplate to be moved up and down without interference from the shaft G. Inorder that this plate or bar may be raised, when desired, as when a seampasses between the feed-rolls, hereinafter mentioned, and returned toits normal position again, I construct or provide its upper portion witha lug or arm m, having an opening which receives a rod or bolt n, risingvertically from the head of the machine and threaded at its upper end toreceive a nut 0. Between this nut and the lug or arm m and surroundingthe rod or bolt 11 is a spring 1), the tension of which is regulated bythe nut. This spring and the weight of the parts is to return the bar orplate L and its adjuncts after the same have been elevated, which latterposition is accomplished by the use of a lever M, pivoted at one end tothe head, having its outer end terminating in a handle portion andhaving its intermediate portion to engage a lug or antifriction-rollerq, projecting from the face of the sliding plate or bar,

so that when the lever is raised it also raises the plate or bar L andits adjuncts.

Upon the end of the shaft 0 is an arm or lever N, herein shown in theform of a housing for the gears II and I, but which may represent asingle link or lever. It is f ulcrumed 011 the shaft 0, and in its lowerend is the bolt or shaft 1, on which the gear I is secured to freelyturn. The bolt or shaft 1 connects with the shaft or stud J by means ofa link or connection 0, whereby when the plate L is raised it carrieswith it the pinion J, which, through its link connection and the arm orlever N, causes the said arm or lever N to be forced laterally, swingingabout the shaft 0 as an axis, so that these parts may not interfere withthe vertical upward movement of the plate. These parts are moved in areverse direction and resume their normal condition when the plate orbar is lowered.

The feeding mechanism includes a pair of opposing rollers S T, one ofwhich, S, is carried by the shaft or stud J and is held under a yieldingpressure by the spring 12. The other roller, T, is 011 the end of theshaft B, and the disposition andarrangement of the gearing is such thatthese rollers rotate in opposite directions to engage and draw thematerial received from an edge-folding device between them and feed itwith regularity. The foot or standard of the frame has a table U, and tothis is fitted, as by a setscrew 20, the device or attachment whichforms the fold on the leather. This attach ment consists of a plate 1",having a raised.

lug or pin 22, bent downwardly and returned upon itself to form a slotor guide 23 open at one end to receive the edge of the leather to befolded. This plate is secured just in front of the rollers and in plainview of the operator and is readily removable for the substitution oflike plates or attachments having forming lugs or folders of othersizes.

In the operation of my invention the desired and previously-cut blank,which may be a quarter or other component of a shoe or other foot-gearor other article, has that edge or edges to be folded provided withpaste or other adhesive substance. This edge is then placed in the openslot of the folder, which immediately folds and forms it with greatnicety and precision. opposite side of the folder it is caught by thepressure-rolls, either one or both of which may be serrated, corrugated,or roughened, if desired, to increase the frictional contact, and thefolded edge is pressed tightly down upon the body portion. There is alsono marring of the leather at the folded edge, which is a source ofobjection to many machines designed for folding leather employingdevices for tapping or hammering the folded edge.

The proximate relation of the folder and rolls and the construction ofthese parts are such that I am enabled to do with this machine what hasnot been accomplished, as far as I am aware, with machines usually usedAs it emerges from the 1 for this purpose-na1nely, to make an accurateand sharp-finished turn at such angles, as shown at l 2 3 4 in the blankshown in Fig. 5, or at 5 in Fig. 6, or 0 and 7 in Fig. 3. lleretofore atsuch places the angle was not sharp and the folded portions were leftmore or less bunched or irregular, thereby detracting from the finishedappearance of the shoe.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting the invention to shoes andfoot-gear, as it is equally applicable in the manufacture ofpocket-books, purses, wallets, satchels, and any and all classes ofleather goods or goods of a foldable nature requiring a folded edge.

Having thus described my invention, what I clain as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a folding-machine, the combination, with a frame having avertically grooved or channeled head, of a vertical plate or barslidably mounted in said head, a feed-roller carried by said plate, asecond feed-roller opposing the first-named one, means for rotating therollers and an edge-former proximate to the rollers and adapted to foldthe edge of the article delivered to the rollers.

2. In a folding-machine, the combination, of a frame having a verticallygrooved or channeled head and a foot or standard, atable secured to saidfoot or standard, a shaft passing across the frame and through saidstandard, having a feed-roller on one end, a second shaft, a yieldingplate or bar slidably mounted in said channeled head, and slotted tofreely receive said second shaft, and carrying a feedroller opposing thefirst-named roller, means for rotating the rollers, and means forfolding the edge of the article as it is delivered to the rollers.

3. In a folding-machine, the combination, with a frame having a lowerfeed-roller, an upper feed-roller mounted in a verticallyslidablebearing, independent drive-shafts mounted in stationary bearings, one ofsaid shafts carrying the first-named roller and the other carrying afixed pinion, gearing movable with said slidable bearing and interposedbetween the pinion and the upper roller for rotating the latter, and anedge-former in advance of the rolls for delivering the material thereto.

4:. In a leather-folding machine, the combination, of a frame having afoot or standard and a grooved or channeled head, a plate or barslidably mounted in said head, a feedroller carried by said plate orbar, a shaft mounted in the frame and passing through a slot in theplate or bar, means for driving said shaft and transmitting its motionto the feedroller, a second shaft journaled in the frame and providedwith a feed-roller opposing the first-named roller, means for drivingthis second shaft and an edge-forming device in ad- Vance of the rollersfor folding the edge of the material and delivering it between therollers.

5. In a leather-folding machine, the combination, of a frame having afoot or standard provided with a table, and a grooved or channeled head,parallel drive-shafts mounted in the frame and provided with meanswhereby they are rotated, a plate or bar slidably mounted in the head,and carrying a pinion at its lower end, a roll on the shaft or axis ofthe pinion, a pinion on one of the drive-shafts, a roll on the otherdrive-shaft opposing the first-named roll, a pinion intermediate of thepinions on the upper shaft and the pinion on the slidable bar or plateand a toggle-lever connection between the train of pinions to enable theintermediate pinion to be moved to one side as the slidable bar israised and to resume its normal position when the bar is lowered, meansfor raising the bar or plate and means for folding the edge of thematerial.

6. In aleather-folding machine, the combination of a frame havin gparallel drive-shafts, a feed-roller on one of said shafts, a bar orplate slidably mounted in the frame and slotted to receive one of saidshafts, a spring acting on the bar or plate to hold it under a yieldingpressure, means for elevating the bar, a feed-roll carried by the plateor bar and opposing the first-named roll, gearing carried by theslidable plate and located between this second roll and one of thepower-shafts, for driving the said roll, a table on the frame and anedge-forming device on the table proximate to the rolls for folding theedge of the material and delivering the material to the rolls.

7. In leather-folding machines, a frame having a foot or standard, atable secured to said foot, opposing feed-rollers mounted in said frameand means for operating them, and an edge-foldin g device just in frontof the rollers and consisting of a plate to be secured to the table,having a raised pin located between the side edges of the plate andextending longitudinally of said plate, and bent downward and returnedupon itself to form an elongated slot or guide open at one end toreceive the edge of the goods to be folded.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. GEORGE POLLOOK.

Vitnesses:

lVIURRAY HANSON, WILLIAM H. BERRY.

